Robinson

So, the acting Police Commissioner begins in the time honoured male Jamaican style ruled by the power of the two 'Ps'.

No, not that. I am, of course, referring to Promises and Plans. Good thing he's just 'acting' as he certainly deserves an Oscar. When one has as much chance of delivering on promises or successfully implementing plans as one has of flying backways on a broomstick to the moon, it behoves one to keep quiet while trying to get to the point of being able to promise or plan. But, these days, Public Officers are Hardley likely to keep their jobs that way, so a lot of noise must be made while piloting an empty vessel. Mout', as we say in the vernacular, mek fe chat and most of us, even Rastas, believe in using the mouth for that purpose.

Modernity and progress

So we strive for modernity and progress in populist infrastructure but never in infrastructural necessities like the police force. Gazillions are committed to building endless highways to nowhere, offering our creative gunmen variegated escape options but there's no money to modernise the force. These highways are so wide and the traffic so terrifying that many of our children will die in the attempt to get to the other side.

"Well, you roll on roads over fresh green grass

for your lorry loads, pumping petrol gas.

And you make 'em long and you make 'em tough.

But they just go on and on and it seems that you can't get off.

I know we've come a long way.

We're changing day to day.

But, tell me, where do the children play?"

There can be no plan unless it's certain to be implemented by honest policemen and not leaked to the criminal elements. So, step one in any 'Crime Plan' is to de-corrupt the police force. This takes money, if for no other reason than corrupt cops have access to plenty of that resource. It takes money to hire independent investigators to root out the corruption in the force and to gather the evidence required to surgically remove a spreading and almost all-consuming cancer within.

Then, there can be no plan if the police force is not fully computerised; video cameras installed on major roadways/intersections; and every policeman comfortable with modern technology. It should be compulsory that recruits prove their technological savvy or acquire it before being employed. This will take money not only to purchase the equipment, but to provide proper training facilities and to be able to offer the compensation packages to attract suitable candidates. Maybe some of these salary packages may have to be "repugnant" to those of our political leaders unaccustomed to running anything but a patty shop but if that be so, then so be it.

Dismantle the garrisons

Then, there can be no plan unless political leaders first dismantle the garrisons (see last week's episode: Where Do Our Children Play?) and introduce problem-solving/dispute resolution training in our curricula from the early education stage by integrating the police into our school system. Then, there can be no plan or promise until the system of administration of justice is sufficiently streamlined that victims see swift and sure justice being meted out by the judicial process and do not feel the urgent need to seek a more customer-friendly service from dons. More "repugnant" pay packages for judges and administrators, perhaps?

When all this is in place, the next police commissioner can start making promises and announcing plans. Until then, he's just whistling in the wind or, maybe, singing for his supper. Police, citizens, the political executive, and the legal system all are partners in this crime-reduction domino game. If any one partner fails to deliver, none other can promise anything except pain and misery, grief and woe. So, Cabinet members, instead of approving the latest bit of 'dread' crime legislation, to succeed the Gun Court Act, The Suppression of Crimes Act and many other failed assaults on civil liberties masquerading as crime reduction plans, why not:

"Free up de key card, Baby Father.

Me sey fi 'member sey I man

and dat man a partner.

Don't block de game sar;

for yu mus' get count out.

Me sey fi look inna yu han' sar.

No bodder run up yu long mouth."

The lyrics in this piece were created by Yusuf Islam, a 1970s convert to the Muslim faith formerly known as 'Cat' Stevens, and by one of Jamaica's best lyricists, Glenroy Michael Archangelo Smith, o/c 'Ernie'.

Peace and Love.

Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Send your comments to columns@gleanerjm.com